Ready Player DAO

About Ready Player DAO

Ready Player DAO operates as a decentralized autonomous organization focused on the web3 and blockchain gaming sector. Founded in 2021 by Rich Cabrera and Mark Manginelli, the organization is structured to empower players and reshape the gaming economy toward a play-to-earn (P2E) model. Cabrera's background includes founding the 'Ready Scholar School', a 1500-member scholarship program for play-to-earn games, which was merged into Ready Player DAO upon its formation. Manginelli serves as a founding member and has a background in Web3 growth and investment.

The organization's business model is built on three core pillars: investment, community building, and marketing support. It generates value by investing directly into gaming economies through the acquisition of in-game assets like NFTs and land, which it then lends to its community members or 'scholars' through income-sharing arrangements. This approach lowers the entry barrier for players into expensive P2E games. Additionally, Ready Player DAO makes equity investments in game studios, metaverse projects, and related technology. A significant part of its operations involves providing marketing and content creation services for web3 games, utilizing a network of influencers and community members to produce articles, videos, and social media content to educate and attract users.

The DAO has established numerous strategic partnerships to expand its ecosystem. It collaborates with blockchain protocols like NEAR Protocol and Ava Labs to foster the growth of web3 gaming on their respective platforms. It has also partnered with prominent content creators, such as MYSTIC7, to demystify web3 gaming and drive wider adoption. Since its inception in August 2021, the company has secured significant financial backing, including a $10.2 million Series A funding round in April 2022 led by The Chernin Group, with participation from other notable investors like Hashed, ConsenSys Mesh, and Sterling VC. This capital is used to expand its investment portfolio, grow its global community, and scale its asset lending programs.